With almost a decade of experience racing everything from Formula 3000 cars in Europe to IndyCars in America, the 2007 Indianapolis 500 Chase Rookie of the Year has returned to the sport that gave him his start: go-karting.

After recovering from a horrifying 200 mile-per-hour crash during a 2008 Indianapolis 500 qualifying race, Giebler started his own go-kart racing company, Phil Giebler Racing, or PGR. Part racing team and part driver coach, Giebler trains young drivers on real road courses, gives them opportunities to compete on a national level and sells go karts and racing gear. He also prepares his students for a possible future as professional drivers.

“I’m preparing them for things that they might incur a year or two into racing cars,” Giebler said. “When they get there they are going to be ready.”

Giebler and his father, Everett, started the company in 2009 with three team members, a trailer and a couple of karts. Phil began touring the country, competing in the large Superkarts USA events in order to market his team and services. His father served as the team’s head mechanic, just as he did when Giebler first started racing at 9 years old.

Giebler’s experience driving open-wheel cars on treacherous road courses such as Monaco and Nürburgring in Germany served him well when he returned to go-karting. In 2010, he won the TaG Senior Superkarts USA Pro Kart Challenge South and the Superkarts USA Pro Tour championships.

“The best way to prove that you have the best stuff and that you know how to use it is to show people. And that really set the business off in the right direction,” Giebler said.

He now has a permanent team of about 16 drivers who train on local courses such as the California Speedway, Buttonwillow and Willow Springs.

Noah Grey, 13, of Dana Point, has been racing with the team for three and a half years now. He placed third this year in the ROTAX Challenge of the Americas series, which is comprised of six races in three different cities.

Noah’s mother, Denise Grey, said Giebler’s team has given her son more exposure and opportunities to compete at national events.

“I think the Gieblers have seen the potential in Noah and they continue to encourage him to go further in his quest to become a national and world champion in this sport,” Grey said. Noah said he eventually wants to compete in endurance challenge races such as the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

PGR also sells parts, equipment and full racing karts to its customers and team members. The team’s mechanics tune each kart to drivers’ preferences in Giebler’s Anaheim garage. Giebler regularly trains around 30 drivers and offers private race days for groups at area tracks.

Giebler admitted that racing his karts isn’t as affordable as other Orange County karting competitors. A race day with Giebler can cost anywhere from $250 to $1,000 depending on the equipment drivers need to rent. Giebler takes racers to tracks such as California Speedway, provides full kart rentals and even straps into a kart himself to work with students on racing drills.

“It’s definitely more expensive, but at the same time it is a very exclusive type of team building event,” he said. “People that get out of these karts just can’t believe how fast they are.”

Since starting the business, Giebler has stopped racing professionally. His time is now devoted to coaching and managing the team. While he misses putting in seat time in the cockpit of a racing car, he enjoys his new role as a coach and small business owner.

“There’s definitely nothing better than racing at the limit and being successful at it,” Giebler said. “But there’s a lot of satisfaction and a lot of pride in passing on something new to younger drivers.”

Small but powerful

Phil Giebler's go-karts aren't toys.

His karts retail for around $10,000 and are custom built to the needs of each driver. From the tilt of the wheels to the stiffness of the sway bar, everything can be adjusted to the driver's preference.

Weighing in at around 150 pounds and powered by an engine stripped from a Honda CR1 dirt bike, Giebler said the karts can accelerate and turn in ways that drivers can't imagine until they get behind the wheel.

"You have a very unique feeling in a go-kart. You are really part of it," Giebler said. "You are half the weight of the total car and you have so much influence."

With a six-speed sequential transmission and up to 50 horsepower, Giebler's karts can reach speeds of up to 120 miles per hour on a straightaway. Sticky rubber wheels and disc brakes allow the karts to stop quickly, accelerate through apexes and burn out of turns.

While the karts are incredibly fast and agile, Giebler says drivers have little room for error if they want to win races.

"Good drivers in go-karting are really good. They can't get there by just having a good car and a good engine," he said. "They always end up coming out on top."

Phil Giebler Racing drivers Carter Williams (kart 2) and Noah Grey (kart 243) lead the pack at the Superkarts USA Pro Kart series at Willow Springs race track in March. COURTESY OF PHIL GIEBLER AND P1IMAGING.COM
Noah Grey leads the pack in a Superkarts USA race series at Adam's Racetrack in Riverside. COURTESY OF DENISE GREY
Phil Giebler Racing team members install an intake on one of the karts in preparation for a weekend race. Each kart is dissembled, cleaned, tuned and reassemble prior to every race weekend. ANDERS HOWMANN, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Phil Giebler and his father, Everett, stand next to one of the PGR karts in the team's Anaheim shop. Giebler has been racing at the amateur and professional levels for 20 years. His father has helped as a mechanic and mentor since he started racing at the age of 9. ANDERS HOWMANN, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
A Phil Giebler Racing kart sits in the Anaheim shop. Each of the team's karts cost around $10,000. ANDERS HOWMANN, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Noah Grey, 13, of Dana Point, has been racing since 2007. Since joining Phil Giebler in 2010, he has competed in events across the country. This year he placed third in the ROTAX Challenge of the Americas series. He hopes to eventually become a professional driver in either the Grand Am or Formula 1 series. COURTESY OF DENISE GREY

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